Enough Trouble for a Lifetime
by Miss Pontmercy
Summary: Ginny waited for Harry for a year when he was away during the war. When it is finally over, they both want to be together. Can they get past the sorrow to find happiness? Can they survive even more time apart when she goes back to Hogwarts?
1. Fireside

Harry's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he just looked up at the top of his four-poster and rolled over, wanting more sleep. Just as he was turning over, the weight of all the anxiety of last year crushed him. The memories of the night before were the heaviest of all.

They had won. He was free. But at what cost?

He sat up in his bed slowly, drinking in the sight of the familiar dormitory that he hadn't seen in a year. It struck him as strange that he could change so much, and yet his dormitory could remain the same. Pulling his dressing gown on over his pajamas, Harry got out of bed and walked over to the windows, peering through the curtains. It was dark outside. He recalled going to sleep at about five pm, and so he had no recollection of what time it was. He did feel as though he had been sleeping for a long time.

Unable to sleep anymore, Harry walked down to the common room, and was relieved to find no one else in it. But it had been stuffed with people only hours ago, and their was evidence of the party still lingering. Had one not known, the common room looked the same as it did right after the Gryffindors had won a Quidditch match.

Curling up in front of the fire, he stared into the moving flames until his eyes burned. He blinked hard, and he could still see the flames as though they were imprinted on the backs of his eyelids. He didn't want to think about what happened, but it seemed inevitable. He closed his eyes again, trying to erase all the images of the night before from his brain.

A sound startled Harry out of his reverie. He jumped, and months of hiding and fighting caused his hand to jump to his pocket, only to find that his wand was upstairs in his dormitory, His heart pounded in his chest. A few seconds later, however, he realized that it was just the sound of someone coming downstairs, out of the girls dormitories.

He didn't want to talk to anyone, and he leaned forward as though to get up. Then he saw Ginny Weasley appear. She was the last person he wanted to see right now, but he felt rude getting up and leaving as soon as she saw him.

"Oh-hi Harry." She sounded surprised to see him. Or was it bothered? He couldn't blame her.

"Hello, Gin...Ginny," he stopped himself from calling her by the old nickname he used to use. Surely she wouldn't want to hear that.

"I just-"

"Couldn't sleep?" he answered for her. "Me neither."

"Do you-er, want to be alone?" she asked tentatively, and Harry found himself shaking his head. No, he didn't. It was the first time he had been able to talk to her since he was at the Burrow this summer, and despite how sick with guilt he felt, he couldn't help but keep talking to her. Even though she could surely never forgive him.

He knew that, after breaking up with her last year, lying to her, and essentially being the cause of her brother's death, he deserved no less than for her to ignore him. Shun him, and never speak to him again. He accepted that, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stand it when it happened. And yet here she was, talking to him.

"Ginny, I want you to know that I'm so sorry about Fred."

Ginny heard this, and looked up at him. She heard, behind his words, that this wasn't an ordinary apology, where a person offers sympathy when a family member dies. No, Harry was apologizing because he felt guilty.

"Harry- don't. It's not your fault," she whispered, but he just stared into the fire. She crossed the room quickly and sat down next to him, with their backs against the coffee table. She just sniffled for a few minutes before the real tears began to fall. She cried at first for Fred, her dear brother who would never laugh again. Then the horrible image of Hagrid carrying Harry's limp body floated across her mind, and she sobbed for that, too. She knew the pictures from the night before would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Harry was trying his hardest not to remember, but seeing Ginny cry like that just brought everything back, until he was crying as well. More than anything, he wanted to comfort her, to put his arms around her, but that was not what she needed, and she was probably angry with him anyway. After all, they were broken up and had been for a year.

Soon, though, the feelings grew too strong, and despite himself, he found himself wrapping his arms around her, risking being pushed away. To his astonishment, he felt her lean in towards him, crying into his chest. She pressed them closer together, until she finally looked up through red eyes.

"Harry- when I saw Hagrid carrying you and I thought you were dead..." but she couldn't finish. Her tears overtook her, and Harry just held her again, glad for even this much time with her. "Harry," she continued. "I don't even know who I'm crying for anymore. Fred, you, Lupin, Tonks, Colin... all these people I love, and so many more that I can't even count them all. This past year was the worst of my life. Worse even than my first year," she swallowed, blinked, and shuddered before continuing. "Every day I would wake up terrified for you, Ron, and Hermione, knowing that without Dumbledore, not even Hogwarts was safe. Terrible news came to Hogwarts every day, but I was glad to read the newspaper. Every day, when I would see your face in the pictures, I would be happy, because I knew they hadn't found you yet. Then Luna went missing... and tonight," she shuddered, closing her eyes tightly. "Tonight. Fred had only just died, when we heard you were..." she couldn't finish. "Harry, I was never more afraid in my entire life." She looked him straight in the eye.

"But, Ginny, I'm alright now."

"Yes, you are," she gave him a most Mrs. Weasley-ish look. "And don't you even _think_ about running off onto a dangerous mission for a whole year, nearly getting yourself killed. Harry Potter, you are taking me along with you next time!"

He just shook his head, but was still pleased to hear it.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time." He said it jokingly, but his words hung with hope that had not been there before.

"Will you-" she tried to spit it out. "Will you tell me? Everything?"

He sighed. "Yes, you deserve to know. And I have a feeling that if I don't do it tonight, I'll never be able to."

Slowly and steadily, he told her everything, starting from his trip to the graveyard in his fourth year, and telling her all about his mothers protective charm (which she already knew something about), and the horcruxes and hallows. She asked few questions, just listening patiently.

When he was done, he fell silent. He felt wrung out and had no energy left, and he knew he would never speak of it, from beginning to end, again.

"Thank you for telling me," she said clearly. "I know that was hard for you. And Harry... no one should ever have to go through that. No one. But somehow you came out of it all ok."

He nodded, feeling so drained. "I should get back to bed," he said.

"Oh," she sounded a bit taken aback. Maybe hurt, he wasn't sure. _It can't be worse than anything else I've done to her,_he thought. "Ok. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Nihgt, Ginny. Sleep well."

"You too, Harry."

He laid back down on his four-poster and thought about his evening. It had turned out better than he thought it would. She did not hate him, that much was obvious. But did she still care for him the way she used to? He knew that his feelings had only grown over their year apart. But hers were much more of a mystery.

He fell asleep wondering if he could risk finding out.


	2. Hurting

The next week was one of the most emotional of Ginny's life. Every day there were numerous funerals taking place, and she went to most of them. Her brother's wasn't until Wednesday, and it was still Sunday. Most of the funeral's were held at Hogwarts, and the dead could be buried there in a memorial. Fred, however, would be buried at home near the Burrow.

One thing that did not help was Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Ginny had thought that her conversation with Harry in the night would have solved their problems. She knew they would have to rebuild their relationship, but she knew she still loved him, and she _thought_ he still cared for her. But it seemed that this wasn't the case, for every time she tried to talk to him, she was pushed away.

Harry was often alone, but whenever he was with anyone, it was Ron and Hermione. Now, Ginny understood that they were his dearest friends, and they were the ones who had gone on the mission with him, but she felt a stab of jealousy every time she saw them huddled in a corner, whispering. Harry was hurting, and she wanted to help him. _She_ wanted to be the one who was there for him, not them. And couldn't he see that they had each other? Didn't he want someone who loved him the way they loved each other? It hurt her deeply, and she mourned him like she mourned the other people she loved whom she had lost. Harry was shutting himself away, and she worried that he would be alone forever.

It had gotten to the point where she just felt like screaming. _Harry! Why do you need _them_ to help you? I would have gone on the mission with you. I would have done anything you asked! _But apparently, he didn't want her to. He didn't want her comfort.

She was returning from Colin's funeral with tears in her eyes, torn up after reliving the loss of her friend. And when she entered the common room, she found Hermione and Harry on the couch, him with his head in his hands, and Hermione comforting him.

This pushed her over the line. Against her will, she let out a sob. Hermione and Harry looked up, startled, and she looked them both in the eyes with tears running down her cheeks before turning and running up the stairs into her dormitory. She slammed the door and locked it with a charm. Even though someone could open it with magic, hopefully they would get the message and just leave her alone.

But no one came.

_Maybe he just doesn't want to be with you, Ginny,_ she told herself. _Maybe you're annoying him with all this, and he just wants to be with Ron and Hermione._

That realization hurt, but she was worried it might be true, and she felt more tears coming on because of it. _Well, if it's not true, then he knows where to find me. I won't bother him anymore, if I'm not what he wants! He can tell me if he wants me._

* * *

Harry just put his head back into his hands after she ran off. Hermione had stood up and made to go after her, but looked down at Harry.

"Aren't you going to talk to her?" she asked, concerned.

"No," he said. Hermione put her hands on her hips.

"I think you should. Can't you tell she's hurting? How can you _do_ this? Harry, I know you've been through a terrible lot, but it's _not_ok to hurt the people you love-"

"Hermione!" he said, his voice filled with exasperation. "I don't _want _to hurt her. I'm doing this because I've already hurt her so many times, and I can't bear to do it again."

"Harry!" Hermione sat down next to him, and tried to make her voice sound more tender. "Harry. Please listen to me. _The war is over._ It's over. And Ginny wants to be with you. I _know_ she does. She knows you only broke it off with her because you care about her-"

"Yeah, and her brother's dead because I care about her too, right Hermione?"

She just threw up her hands. "Harry, I'm not going to listen to this. Don't go off on _me. _You weren't the one who killed Fred, and you're not going to feel better until you accept that. You didn't kill Lupin _or _Tonks. But Ginny is hurting from her brother's death, and I know she needs you. Right now, you're just being selfish. If you love her- and I know you do, even if you've never told her- then you'd better stop how you're acting this very minute and _do something about it_."

With that, she left, leaving Harry more confused than ever.

That night, he tossed and turned and thought about Ginny even more than usual. He would ask to talk to Hermione again, but he still felt guilty about how he had treatedGinny. He didn't want to hear Hermione say it, again (even if she was right), but he appreciated her advice the first time.

Every day, he saw Ginny in the common room, and tried to talk to her. He wanted to apologize, but he never could find the right words. She seemed distracted, and as though she was trying to avoid him. At first he thought she didn't want to talk to him anymore, but more than once he had found her staring at him sadly form across the common room. It seemed she wanted to talk to him as much as he wanted to talk to her. Every time he saw her like that, he felt a pull to go see her, but just couldn't follow through.

Each funeral was like the turning of the knife in his heart, and he longed for them to be over with. Each time someone spoke of that night, images were aroused in his brain. Whenever someone spoke at a funeral of someone's valiant bravery, he remembered seeing their body, limp and mangled. Every time he went to a funeral, pain arrived fresh in his body, and he could not even try to forget what happened.

At night, he wondered to himself if he would ever feel better. He knew he would never forget that night. There were some things he was proud of, some things that he would have hated to forget. And the thought of finishing off Voldemort made most of the pain worthwhile. Harry knew now that no one would be afraid to enter their house, for fear of what they would find within it. No more families would be torn apart, and muggle borns would be safe.

But deep down he knew the only way he would feel better. He knew there was one person who could comfort him, and he knew that he was keeping her at a distance. Ron and Hermione had each other. The Weasleys had one another. It seemed that everyone had someone to turn to. Everyone was talking to him, everyone was worried about him, but he still felt alone. There was only one person who could truly help, and he feared that he had pushed her away.

On Tuesday night, he felt eyes on him. He turned to see Ginny crying into her mother's embrace, and Mrs. Weasley looking at him strangely. She looked worried (he knew that look well enough), but also disappointed. And, of course, he saw the inescapable sadness that had lurked on her face since her son had died. She looked away, and turned back to her daughter and did not look at him for the rest of the night, continuing to comfort her daughter.

He could tell she was aware of his eyes on them both.

He wouldn't do this any longer. _I've hurt her once, and I promised never to hurt her again. And if she wants me..._


	3. The Funeral

It finally came time for Fred's funeral. Though Ginny had thought she was not getting used to his death, she realized she was wrong. Despite herself, she had been healing in the past week. When it came time for his funeral, however, the wound was opened again, this time even deeper than before.

The funeral was close casket, and everyone who knew Fred was there. Ginny stood next to her mother, who was sobbing. But the sight that broke her heart was her father. Staring down at the coffin, his face seemed twenty years older. He looked broken. Tears ran silently down his face as he tried to comfort his wife. Shutting her eyes and turning away, Ginny buried her face in her hands. The casket was lowered into the ground, and she heard countless people sobbing. _Poor, poor Fred,_ she thought, before turning and seeing the look on George's face. As they lowered his twin into the ground, he seemed to crumple.

Not able to take any more, she closed her eyes, though tears still threatened to pour out of them. Gone were all of the "Fred and George" jokes. She would no longer be able to yell at both of them. Gone was the time when she could speak of her funniest brother easily... now, when she brought him up, it would hurt. Gone was the way she would hear her mother yelling at "the twins." Ginny used to hate hearing her mother scream at them for hours on end, but now she would give anything to hear that again.

The funeral was over. She could hear people leaving, walking away. Most of these people weren't hurting like she was. They would probably forget about Fred in a few days. Oh, sure, they'd think of him once in a while, maybe even shed a tear or two. But her family would never be the same. They would never truly get over this loss.

She opened her eyes and looked around. She saw lots of retreating people, moving in the general direction of the Burrow, which was located on the other side of a hill that Fred was now buried in. Ginny stood up and brushed the dirt off of her knees, and left her mother, father, and George to stay at the grave for some time. They needed to be alone, and she would let them have their time with him, to say goodbye.

Walking felt good to her, especially since she was by herself. The easy rhythm of her stride was set into her brain, and the slowly moving surroundings made her feel better about her life. Things were changing, but not too fast. She could keep up with them. Just then she rounded the crest of the hill and saw her home nestled into the ground. She could smell the food- every person there seemed to have brought things, and were now heating them up- and saw the hoards of mingling people, dressed in black.

But one person caught her eye. Harry Potter, walking alone in the opposite direction of the house, off towards Ottery St. Cathpole. Despite her promise to herself that she would keep her distance, she found herself running to catch up with him.

"Harry! _Harry!"_ she yelled, until he turned and looked at her. "Where are you going?"

He shrugged, a dark expression on his face. "Dunno. Just can't take any more of this," he gestured to the crowd about a hundred yards away from them. "You could join me if you like."

Ginny nodded. They began walking, and she had to fight to keep herself quiet. She had so much to say to him: so many questions about his journey, and endless inquiries about his rendezvous with Dumbledore in King's Cross. They had been brewing in her head all week long, and this was the first chance she had to ask him. But now was not the time. The walked in silence for some time, she was not sure how long. Harry seemed determined not to say anything, and finally Ginny had to break the silence.

"Harry- why are you doing this?" she whispered.

Harry was desperately trying to find something to say to her, to apologize for how he had been treating her, but he was not sure what to say. He had never been good at talking to girls, and he knew that he couldn't mess this up. If he did something wrong, it would be a lot worse than just a few embarrassed giggles.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, thinking that was the best option.

"Are you?" she asked, looking him in the eye bravely, no tears on her face. "Because you haven't been acting like it. Harry Potter, I waited for you to come back all year last year, every day. Don't get me wrong, I'd do it again. But I was not expecting _this._ I know you're hurting," she reached for his hand. "We all are. So we have to stick together, you and me. If that's what you want." She took a step back. "If that's not what you want, you'd better tell me now, because I'm not going to wait around for you like this: moody, silent, and miserable. I'll take you if you're broken, but not if you're unwilling to be fixed."

Harry just stared at her, looking dazzling in the morning light. He knew how hard that must have been for her to say, and suddenly, seeing her like that, his whole heart started to pour out. He couldn't stop himself. "Ginny, don't understand how much I missed you all last year, it was like I had this horrible stomach ache that never went away. You had to know why I ended it- it wasn't because I wanted to! And then I saw you again, at the battle, and you wanted to fight. I couldn't let you- me, your family- you're worth too much! But I was worried you'd be angry with me for telling you to stay. Still, if you were angry at me and alive, that would be better than having you dead. Then the battle was over and," he shook his head in amazement. "I felt like thousands of pounds were lifted from my shoulders. I thought 'I can be with her now.' But then I remembered Fred dying, and everyone else. Your friends. My friends. I know you and Hermione and Ron- everyone, really- say it wasn't my fault, but you have to understand how I feel: hundreds of people dying because I wasn't moving fast enough. Because I couldn't finish the job on time, and finish Voldemort. And the guilt... But after all that, it was finally over. But I couldn't imagine how you could forgive me, and it seemed you did. But I-" she shuddered slightly. "I'm not right, Ginny. I wake up in the night screaming from terrible nightmares. I've watched people die-"

"Never when you could do anything about it!" she interrupted for the first time.

"Still!" he argued. "You deserve more than me! And I wanted to be with you so much that I couldn't stay away from you, because I love-"

He stopped himself. He turned away.

"What?" She grabbed his arm, pulling him back to face her. "What did you say?" A small smile crept into her expression _Maybe... maybe he said what I thought he did..._ she thought.

"Nothing," he said, brushing her off, his face red in embarrassment. "I didn't say anything." _He did! He did!_ her insides squealed.

"I think you said you loved me," she whispered, looking up into his green eyes. He looked away again.

"Yeah?"

"Well," she formed her face into her blazing expression, demanding to know. "Do you?"

With that, Harry pulled her to him and kissed her fervantly, his hands cupping her cheeks. He pulled away a second later, their foreheads still touching. "_Yes, _Ginny. I love you- couldn't you tell?"

But she didn't let him finish, because she was kissing him again, and he was kissing her back. Throwing her arms around his neck, she smiled against his mouth. She adored everything about this moment. Somehow the fact that it came from something so sorrowful- Fred's funeral- made it just more beautiful.

Slowly, they made their way back towards the Burrow, stopping frequently to kiss. They said no more words, but kept their hands clasped together tightly. Someone brushed against Ginny's shoulder on their way inside, but she didn't notice.

* * *

Ron sat down on the couch in the living room next to Hermione, whose tears were running down her cheeks. He put an arm around her carefully (despite their passionate kiss from a week ago, the two of them were just barely getting used to being in a relationship).

"'Mione, I have something that might make you feel better," he whispered into her hair.

She looked up with tears in her eyes in disbelief. "What on earth could make me feel better right now?"

"Harry and Ginny are back together," he said, smiling. "I just walked by them, kissing. They didn't even notice me."

"Oh!" she smiled. "That _did_make me feel better. Poor Harry needs some happiness..." but then she gave Ron an quizzical look. "But I am a little worried about you... You walked by them kissing, and you didn't interrupt them? No obnoxious rant about how they were spoiling the veiw for everyone else?"

He just shrugged. "I figured maybe he'd start acting human again. And Merlin know's Ginny's been upset enough."

"Ronald, I'm impressed. You've really gotten more mature, haven't you? Maybe you're at a tablespoon now, instead of a teaspoon."

His chest puffed out with pride.


	4. Summer Days

For the week following Fred's funeral, everyone in the house spent their days lazing around, lethargy getting the best of everyone in the house. Mrs. Weasley did not need to cook- they had enough food brought from their friends and family- so thankfully there was not much work to be done. However, no one felt particularly hungry.

George was the worst: he sat in his and Fred's bedroom all day, every day, snapping at anyone when they asked him to come downstairs. Mrs. Weasley tried the hardest to talk to him, and was also the most upset when he lashed out at her. She dissolved into tears quickly and frequently.

Hermione and Harry stayed at the Burrow with everyone, and Hermione spent most of her time trying to make things easier for the Weasleys by cleaning and arranging the meals. Harry helped out a lot as well, but sometimes he found himself unable to work anymore. Hermione said that the business kept her mind off of the losses, but for Harry he had other ways.

He frequently took long walks around the Burrow, sometimes joined by Ginny. She was quiet and was taking after George with her behavior, addressing everyone much sharper than needed. She and Harry would walk in silence, both lost in their own minds. However, with the other one there, they kept themselves from going crazy.

Ron was not speaking much at all- just in grunts. He lay on his bed until early afternoon, then went downstairs and lay on the couch, playing with the tassles on the blankets for hours on end. The only one who could get him to talk was Hermione.

Bill and Fleur stopped by almost every day, which did seem to cheer Mrs. Weasley up. Charlie stayed for a few days after the funeral then went home.

Percy and Mr. Weasley spent all of their time and energy at work, throwing themselves into catching the remaining death eaters with twice as much force as before, as though trying to undo what had happened. They came home exhausted, with no energy left to think about Fred's death.

On this particular day, Harry and Ginny went out to take a walk. The sun was shining beautifully, making everything in the garden shine. The two of them started to walk, but then Ginny stretched her arms out and angled her face into the sun to absorb it.

"Let's just sit here," she said, and plopped down on the grass, Harry next to her.

He groaned, and she looked at him inquisitively. He decided to break a habit and start talking normally again. "I'm going into the ministry tomorrow to start working again. Ron's also going to help out for a few weeks, before George opens the shop back up. But right now, we're both going back," he grimaced. Harry wanted to be involved in the catching of the rest of the death eaters, but just not yet. He needed more time here, in this safe place at the Burrow. He needed more time with Ginny, Ron, and Hermione... His stomach still knotted horribly when he thought of all those people, lying the Great Hall....

"Do you have to?" she asked. "I mean, if you need more time, just say so. I know they'll let you."

He shook his head. "I think this will be good for me, though. To get back out there and finish it all off- the hard part's over, anyhow. Best just complete the job now. And then I get to be an auror if I help out."

Ginny smiled. "Harry, they'd let you be an auror anyway."

He just shrugged and lay down on the grass, flopped over onto his stomach. She also flopped down and rested her head on her arm, taking Harry's hand.

He felt contentment wash over him, despite everything that had happened and everything that would be happening in the next few months. The sun was shining on his back, and the warmth seemed to penetrate his shirt and his skin, and a powerful drowsiness overtook him...

* * *

In the kitchen, Hermione was heating up some soup and cutting bread for lunch, hoping that someone would eat it that day.

"I'll do that, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. Hermione turned around, surprised to see Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. She looked tired, but she looked alright. She'd washed her hair and put on a clean dress.

"I didn't hear you come up," Hermione said, said. "But you don't have to. I can do it."

"No, I want to. I need to do something- it's been to long."

Hermione nodded, and stepped back as Mrs. Weasley wove her wand around the kitchen a few times, and everything was set into motion. Hermione watched in silence for a few minutes, until some plates came out of a cupboard. She then hopped off the stool she was sitting on, and went to get the utensils.

"Where's Ron, dear?"

"Oh, he's in his room, I suppose. So's George."

"Would you go get them please?"

"I don't know that George wants to come down," Hermione said, biting her lip. She didn't want to fight with him right now.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley began, anger coming through her words. "Tell him- and Ron too, if he gives you any trouble- that we're a family and that we're going to eat lunch _together._ We need to be together right now, and if he argues with you, tell him I'll be coming upstairs to get him myself, and that he doesn't have a choice." Her eyes burned with determination.

"Alright," Hermione said, a little frightened, but nonetheless glad that Mrs. Weasley seemed to be doing the right thing.

"And where's Harry? And Ginny?"

Hermione shrugged, then looked out the kitchen window, expecting to see them walking down the road. Instead she saw them laying in the grass only a few feet away.

"They're right outside, there," she said, pointing. Mrs. Weasley followed her gaze, and noticed the two lying and holding hands.

She exhaled a little. Now, in the last few days, she hadn't been paying much attention- but now that she thought about it, the two of them had been spending an awful lot of time together. And, even further back, during all of last year, Ginny had been even more upset than expected when the three of them had run off. Mrs. Weasley expected her to worry, but she had locked herself in her room every day after she had been taken out of Hogwarts. She had just attributed it to anger about being away from her school, but... Could it be...? Finally?

Well, Hermione would know. "Are they...?"

Hermione smiled, and nodded. "Yes. I mean, Harry's been in love with her for almost two years now, I would say... I think they're both happy the war's over. Harry broke it off last year when we were going away..." she stopped talking, aware now that it wasn't her story to tell. "Anyway, yes, they are."

Mrs. Weasley turned back to the soup, waving her wand and making it pour into the bowls Hermione had lined up on the counter.

"Thank you Hermione. Now, will you go get the boys for me?"

Hermione nodded and ran upstairs.

Mrs. Weasley opened the door to the garden, and walked over to her daughter and Harry. When she approached closer, she saw they were asleep, and just stood over them for a minute, her shadow cast over Harry. They looked so... young. Like children. They were on their stomachs, facing each other, and she even saw a small smile on Harry's face, something she hadn't seen since right after he killed Voldemort.

After a few long moments, she spoke. "Harry... Ginny. Wake up."

Harry stirred, his eyes fluttering open. At first he didn't look up, and he just stared at Ginny, her hair glittering in the sun. But then he saw a shadow covering him, and he looked up to see Mrs. Weasley standing there.

He jumped and sat up, dropping Ginny's hand. She woke then, and had a similair reaction, jumping up and scooting away a few inches.

"Hi mum," she said nervously, picking a piece of grass out of her hair.

"It's time for lunch," she said sternly, looking at Harry and Ginny strongly. "Go clean up and get inside."

She turned, leaving Harry and Ginny blushing. As soon as her back was to them, she smiled a wide smile, the first one in weeks.


	5. September 1st

Three months later, on the balmy morning of September 1st, Harry stepped out the fireplace and into the Burrow's kitchen. Unlike the times he'd left for Hogwarts from the Burrow, this seemed much more contained and organized. Ginny and Hermione's trunks were leaned against the wall closest to the door, and Arnold and Crookshanks were already placed in their cages.

"Hello!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, walking forward and brushing the soot off of his robes. "Good to see you. We're leaving in a half-hour. You're right on time."

"Harry!" He heard another voice from behind him, and he turned to see Ginny walking quickly towards him. She hugged him and he kissed her softly.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm good," she shrugged half-heatedly.

"I wish I was going back to Hogwarts this year..." he trailed off.

"You could be!" A bossy voice made it's way into the kitchen, followed by a bushy brown-haired girl. Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry. "_I_ am. But you didn't want to!"

"Yeah- I want to go back to _Hogwarts._ As in the building. I'm totally fine not going back to Potions, and History of Magic, and Transfiguration." He smiled at Hermione, watching her click her tongue. "Anyway, when did you get here, Hermione?"

"Just last night. It's just easiest to get everything in order here, where I don't have to worry about leaving magical books out... I'll never forget the time my neighbor found my copy of _Hogwarts, a History._Wouldn't look at me straight for weeks. She still thinks I'm batty." Hermione shrugged, then turned to Ginny. "So does this mean I'm in your year?"

Ginny smiled. "Yes! You can help me study!"

"You've been hanging around Harry and Ron too much, Ginny." Hermione gave her a stern look, before being interrupted by Mrs. Weasley clapping her hands.

"Alright everyone! Time to start loading the car, if we want to be there by ten-thirty," she looked at her watch, then pointed her wand to the door, opening it automatically. She then pointed her wand to the car parked outside the Burrow, which Harry had secured for them. The trunk flew open.

"Will Ron be coming?" Hermione wondered, looking around.

"Yeah, he should be. But he'll probably be here as soon as we're done putting everything in the car," he rolled his eyes. Harry grabbed Ginny's trunk and was about to take it out the door when Ginny kicked him lightly in the shins, causing him to drop the trunk. "What was that for?!"

"I'm barely of age- I _will _carry my own trunk." And, her head held high, Ginny tapped her trunk twice and it started to levitate in the air. Holding her wand out in front of her, she directed the trunk into the back of the car. Harry just followed, snickering.

Once all was loaded, the two Weasleys, Hermione and Harry stood back, looking about the yard. Harry checked the Prewett's watch and saw that it was nearly time to go.

"Where is Ron?" Ginny asked, more to herself than anyone else.

"He'll be here, I'm sure," Mrs. Weasley said anxiously. Just then, a loud _crack_ broke through the quiet of the morning.

"Am I late?" Ron asked. Hermione laughed.

"Just late enough to miss loading the car. But it's alright."

"Oh. Sorry," he said. "Hi, mum!" He walked over and hugged his mother. "Missed you."

"I missed you too, dear," she patted his back, which was the highest she could easily reach. Ron was now tall enough that, if he so desired, he could rest his chin atop his mothers head without effort.

Trunks loaded, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley piled into the car.

"Arthur wanted to come today, but he had to work. He said to pass on his well-wishes," Mrs. Weasley informed the people in the car. They were halfway down the street away from the Burrow when Ginny realized she'd left Arnold behind, in the kitchen.

"Relax, Ginny- I'll be coming to Hogwarts soon anyway to see you. I can look after him and bring him then."

"But you don't know how to take care of him like I do! And does mum!"

"I raised seven children- I think I can take car of a Pigmy Puff," Mrs. Weasley said tersely.

"_Mum! _Please!" Ginny whined. Sighing quite audibly, Mrs. Weasley turned the car around.

The reached the Burrow quickly, and they hadn't even stopped completely when Ginny was flying out of the car, her red hair swinging behind her as she ran.

Twenty minutes later, Hermione started rummaging through a leather bag at her feet.

"Hermione, what on earth are you looking for?" Ginny asked, after getting hit in the head with a deck of cards, a paperback novel, and a box of treats for Crookshanks.

"I- It's _got_ to be here- there's no way I would have left it at home...!" Hermione was speaking in a higher-pitched voice than her own, sounded very upset.

Harry caught Hermione's hat in his hand, stopping it just before the tip of it caught him in the eye. "What?"

Hermione just clicked her tongue, nervously shaking her head. "There's just no way I could have left it! I take it _everywhere!_"

"_What?"_ Ron asked.

"What do you mean, what? Ron- don't you know me at all? _Hogwarts, A History._ For goodness' sake, I can't have left it!"

But it seemed she had.

"Maybe it's in my trunk," she said, after turning her bag upside down and finally deciding that it was not be found.

Ginny just shook her head. "No, I saw you take it out of your trunk this morning. You left it on my bed, I think."

"Ginny! Why didn't you _tell me?" _Hermione spat.

Ginny shrugged. "I never thought you'd forget it!"

"Hermione, just relax," Mrs. Weasley's calm voice came from the front of the car. "I can send it along as soon as I get home."

"We went back for Arnold!" she whined, quite uncharacteristically.

"Arnold is a living thing," Ginny said defensively. "Your _book _is not."

Hermione _hmph-_ed, and sat back, looking very upset. For the rest of the ride, tempers road high and Hermione sat twisting her hands in her lap, clearly uncomfortable to be going to school without the book she memorized.

With ten minutes left before the train set off for Hogwarts, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley made it through the barrier and Harry laid eyes on the Hogwarts express for the first time in over a year. He stepped back, smiling.

"Good to see it again, isn't it?" he asked Ron and Hermione. They only nodded. Ron then grabbed Hermione's trunk and moved to help her put it in the train, then the two went off to say goodbye.

Harry just gestured towards Ginny, then towards the trunk. "Be my guest."

She smiled happily, before tapping the trunk twice and levitating it onto the train. Once her things were loaded on, Harry pulled Ginny behind a pillar for a moment alone. She leaned back against the brick as he leaned in to kiss her, slow and sweet. When he pulled away, she leaned forward, making the kiss last longer. Finally they broke away, arms entangled around each others bodies.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"No!" she groaned. "Leaving now sounds just awful." Harry smiled and kissed her again.

"I'll be heading there as soon as I can- maybe even by the weekend. Depends on whether or not I get time off."

Ginny stood up on her tiptoes, hopping a bit. "Oh, yes please! I miss you already."

They heard a whistle blow on the train, and they came out from behind the pillar. Ginny hopped up onto the train, but did not go to her compartment. She turned around to Harry again, as though she wanted him to join her on the train. Without thinking, Harry hopped up after her. Thinking of the long year they would spend apart, he felt that monster in his chest growl at the thought of all that time so far away from her. Without thinking, Harry threw his arms around Ginny and kissed her passionately, with as much feeling as he could put into it... One hand tangled through her hair, and he felt her arms wrap tightly around his neck.

So absorbed in each other, Harry hadn't notice the doors of the train begin to close. The train lurched, and they broke apart as the Hogwarts Express started leaving.

Harry stepped away from her and opened the door before the train picked up speed. He bent his legs and yelled "Have a good term!" before jumping off the moving train.

He landed with his feet on the concrete, and swayed a bit before steadying himself. He turned to have one last look at Ginny's face, which was poked out of a window, now looking anxious. Raising one hand, he waved to her, and saw her her mouth break into a radiant smile.

It was going to be a long year.


	6. Ginny at Hogwarts

Ginny and Hermione's first few weeks at Hogwarts were, for once, uneventful. They moved into their dormitories and got their schedules, and they were excited to be sleeping in the same dormitory for once. Ginny had always had a lot of girl friends, but Hermione rarely spent her time with girls. After all, the girls in her year weren't all that wonderful at conversations... Hermione liked Ginny much more. Classes were underway, and Ginny was doing much better than her previous years. Granted, having Hermione help her with homework in the evening was making a difference.

However, Hermione was very busy. She had loaded up on classes, trying to make up for taking a year off, deaf to Harry, Ron, and Ginny's arguments that what she had been doing was of more value than school for a year. Also, she had been appointed Head Girl by Professor McGonagall, who had told her only to accept it if she felt inclined- she didn't want Hermione to be too overloaded after what she had gone through the year before. However, Hermione had agreed (of course).

Luna was also back at Hogwarts, and and, Ginny and Hermione spent nearly all their time together, whether studying or walking on the grounds. She recieved frequent letters from Harry, though he had not visited yet. She even was getting letters from Ron- something she thought had to do with the fact that he was writing Hermione, too, and felt guilty about. Still, she appreciated it.

But Ginny felt a very tangible barrier between herself and some of the girls she had been friends with in her first years at Hogwarts, and felt closer to the people she had gone through the war with. She had been friends with Colin Creevey, but now he was gone, and it seemed like their mutual friendships had died with him. She remembered that, when anything tough ever happened, she had been with her family, Harry and Hermione. They two now seemed to _be_her family- just an extension of the Weasleys. _Hopefully,_ she would think sometimes at night, alone where no one could break into her thoughts, _they will be real Weasleys someday. _

The year before, though all those people had already left Hogwarts, she had still been separated from her peers. True, some of them were in the DA and had hid out in the Room of Requirement with her, but she had spent most of her time with Luna and Neville. Now, coming back to Hogwarts, she only wanted to spend her time with people who had gone through the experience of the war as she did. The people who had spent the year fighting for all they could, holding their breath for news of what Harry had been doing, and in fear for what would happen to them.

After spending the summer with Harry had reminded her of what she really valued: her family and her real friends. Now back at Hogwarts, she felt older than the other kids there. Yes, they had been worried last year for Harry, Ron and Hermione, but had they been afraid for their brother? their boyfriend? their best friend? No. They hadn't. And coming back here, all she wanted was to be with the people who understood.

And she wanted to be with Harry. She hated to admit how much their separation was bothering her. But, alas- after spending an entire year petrified for his sake, the last thing she wanted to do was spend another year apart. But it was what had to done. Missing Harry made her feel bothered with Hermione and Luna sometimes, too- though much less frequently.

One Friday after classes, she was on her way to dinner when she realized that she didn't want to sit and have boring conversations with people she didn't really like. Turning on her heel, she made her way out onto the grounds towards Hagrid's hut.

Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting at Hagrid's kitchen table, her legs swinging and not reaching the ground as she perched atop a giant stool.

"Sorry for dropping like this, Hagrid," she said, accepting her tea.

"'S'not a problem, Ginny," he said, smiling at her. "To what'd'I owe this lovely surprise?"

She sipped her tea for a moment before answering. "I just wanted to stop by, and have dinner outside the castle for once. Sometimes I just feel like I don't match with everyone there anymore- you know?"

Hagrid looked at her carefully. "Ginny, there's lots a people up there who like ya."

She shook her head. "That's not it at all. I just feel like after the war, the only people who I want to be with are the people who went through it with me- like Luna, and Neville and Hermione..."

"Well, Luna an' Hermione are still there," he said, confused.

She didn't answer. Instead she just stared at the floor for a long time.

"Hagrid, do you ever see Madame Maxime" she blurted out, before blushing. "Sorry! I shouldn't have asked... it's none of my-"

"No, it's alright," he said, setting a plate of rock cakes and some other unidentifiable foods on the table. Then he sat and leaned back in his chair. "I see 'er from time t'time. But, see, Olympe and I, well. We're in diff'rent circles is all."

He fell quiet after that, she and knew he wouldn't say anymore about this- Hagrid didn't talk about his feelings much anyway. Ginny just nodded.

After about an hour more, she gathered up her schoolbag. "Thanks for the tea and everything, Hagrid."

"Not a problem," he grinned before gathering her into a bone-crushing hug. "Nice ter see ya, Ginny."

She smiled back, and had turned to leave when he said something else:

"And when Harry comes ter see ya, bring him down here!"

She just smiled wider. It had been the right choice to come see Hagrid.

Feeling more lighthearted, she made her way back into the Gryffindor common room, where she saw Hermione working on her homework.

"Hey Ginny- where did you go? You weren't at dinner. Luna and I were worried." This year, for the first time, sitting with your house was not mandatory. Most students still did, of course, but Hermione, Ginny, and Luna sat together for most meals.

"I went to see Hagrid," she said. "I haven't talked to him in awhile."

Hermione smiled. "That's nice."

Ginny eyed Hermione's books on her lap. "Are you doing _homework? _It's Friday night, Hermione!"

She just shrugged. "It's not going to do itself."

Ginny sighed, rolling her eyes, and plopped down next to her friend. For the next few hours, she proceeded in distracting Hermione. But at eleven, she stretched out her arms.

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning, 'Mione!"

"See you, Ginny," Hermione said.

* * *

_Back in Grimmauld Place_

It was ten-thiry when Harry opened the door to his house, and inhaled the smell of minestrone soup coming from the kitchen.

"Smells great Kreacher!" he yelled to his house-elf.

"Thank you, Master Harry," came his voice from the kitchen. "Should be ready in just a minute!"

He discarded the top layer of his robes and sat down on his couch, alone. He sighed. Work was hard- he was spending even more time than he had predicted there. Finally, he had a full weekend off. Or, Saturday and Sunday at least- he had worked late that night. For a minute he just layu on the couch and let himself relax.

Making his way to the kitchen, he found a bowl of steaming hot soup waiting for him. Smiling, he sat down and cast a cooling charm over the bowl before dipping his spoon in and eating. He gazed about the kitchen, and all at once it dawned on him how _alone_he was. Sure, Kreacher was here, but even since becoming a nicer house-elf, he still wasn't much company. And he had spent most of his time alone recently. Ron was working in the joke shop again and, with a twinge of guilt and loneliness, he hadn't seen Ginny in almost a month.

He had promised to visit her as soon as he could. It was true- he hadn't had any time off; but he still felt guilty upon not seeing her.

_So why don't you go?_

The thought hit him clearly and easily: he had a weekend off. McGonagall had already told him he was free to come to Hogwarts whenever he liked. She had even shown him to a single dormitory that he could use, (usually it was occupied by the Head Boy, if they were from Gryffindor- but he was a Ravenclaw this year).

He stood up so fast that he almost spilled soup on himself, and half-ran over to the fireplace. He pinched some floo-powder between his fingers and threw it into the flames, stuck his head in, and yelled into the fire the numbers of Ron's flat in London.

His head spun wildly around, before stopping abruptly. It took a moment more for his vision to focus again, but when it did he saw a pair of large feet staring at him from a couch.

"Ron!" he said, and saw the feet and legs jump up.

"Bloody hell!" he heard Ron yell, before a freckled face with a long nose came into view. "Harry, what are you doing in here? Care to knock?"

Harry just rolled his eyes. "I'm going to Hogwarts to see Ginny and Hermione- want to join me?"

Ron's face fell in disappointment. "Harry- goddammit. I told George I'd work tomorrow morning early. I really wish I could though. I haven't seen her- them- in a long time."

"I know- me neither. I have the weekend off, for once, and I'm taking advantage of it. But I've gotta go now while I have time- I'll pass on greetings, yes?"

"Yes, please. Tell them both that I miss them. Well, see you Harry," Ron said.

"See you."

He threw a bag together, and by eleven o'clock, was flooing into McGonagall's office. She must have already retired, but he left a note for her on her desk before half-running up to the Gryffindor tower. How he had missed this place!

He reached the Fat Lady, and stopped dead. _Damn!_ He thought. She was asleep in her frame, and did not see him... But he had an idea.

He reached into his bag and pulled out the Marauders Map, and scanned it for Gryffindor Tower. He tapped the picture with his wand, and sure enough, a tiny speech bubble popped up._Harry Potter,_ it said.

_Yes, I am,_ he thought, before understanding. _He_ was the password!

After some yelling and stomping around, the Fat Lady woke up, and let him through the portrait hole. The sight that met his eyes made him truly believe that he was back at Hogwarts: a head of bushy brown hair bent over a flickering lamp and a stack of books.

He couldn't help it: he retrieved his invisibility cloak and threw it over himself before running behind her.

"Boo," he said softly in her ear.

"_Merlin!"_ she yelped, jumping about a foot in the air, before Harry yanked the cloak off, laughing hysterically. She seethed for a moment before smiling. "Harry!"

Jumping up, she wrapped her arms around him in a grip to rival Hagrid's, and kissed him on the cheek.

"What are you doing here?!"

He shrugged. "I had the weekend off and decided to stop by to see you and Ginny."

Hermione smiled and hugged him again, for a very long time.

"Uh- Hermione. You're gonna have to let me go eventually."

She let go, blushing a little. "Harry- I'm so happy you're here! Is Ron coming?" she asked hopefully.

Harry shook his head. "He's got to work tomorrow- this was a pretty quick decision. I literally decided to come about twenty minutes ago. He says hello, though, and that he misses you."

Hermione smiled. "Well, I'm still very glad you're here. Ginny's already asleep, I think..."

Harry shrugged. "That's ok. I'm actually really tired. I think I might just go to bed and see her in the morning."

"'Kay. Night Harry!"

"Night, Hermione."


	7. Harry and Ginny

Ginny awoke quite early the next morning. She was surprisingly awake, and hopped out of bed and crossed the dormitory into the girls' showers. Everyone else in the dormitory was still sleeping- it wasn't even seven o'clock yet. Ginny stripped off her pajamas, and turned on the shower, letting the hot steam roll over her, feeling herself grow drowsy again...

About forty minutes later, Ginny hopped out of the shower and wrapped a tower firmly around herself. The long shower had turned her fair skin red from the scalding water, but she had relaxed. Stepping outside of the showers, she walked almost straight into Hermione.

"Morning, Ginny," Hermione said, smiling.

"Morning!" Ginny moved to pass Hermione in the doorway and let her into the bathrooms.

"Gin- guess what happened last night when I was in the common room?"

"Uh," Ginny said, hitching up her towel. "You studied...?"

"_No!_Well, yes, I did, but that's not all." She gave Ginny a very Hermione-ish look. "Something else happened. Something much better."

Ginny just shrugged. "_What?!"_

"Something- or rather, someone surprised me."

Ginny just cocked one eyebrow.

"It had to do with someone... invisible..." Hermione smirked.

"Who?"

Hermione just looked at her, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ginny just reached out her hands and shook Hermione's shoulders. "Hermione Granger, if you don't tell me what the bloody hell you're talking about, I think I might just-"

"Harry showed up!"

Ginny's face turned to shock. "_What?!"_

"Harry's here! He came last night to visit! But you were asleep."

"_Well where is he?" _Ginny suddenly felt scared that Harry had already left after finding that she was boring enough to be asleep on Friday night.

Hermione shrugged. "He's got the weekend off, and he's staying here. I expect he's staying in the Head Boy's room."

At that, Ginny turned around and ran right out of the girls showers and into the girls dormitory hallways, passing Hermione's Head Girl room and towards the stairs into the common room, which she had to pass through to get to the boys dormitories, before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Hermione, breathing hard from chasing her.

"Um, Gin? You might want to put some clothes on."

Ginny blushed, looking down at her towel-clad body, before turning and running back into her room, dressing as fast as she could.

Two and a half minutes later, she was running through the common room without a second look into it. Harry looked up from the couch to see a mane of red hair disappearing into the boys' dormitories. _What is she doing?_ he wondered, and turned to follow.

Ginny arrived at the Head Boy's room, and knocked on the door once, hard, and waited for about a second before knocking again. Finally, she called into the room, waited once more, and opened the door to an empty room.

"Harry?" she called weakly. He was gone.

Disappointed, she turned around and closed the door, looking at the floor. He could be _anywhere..._ how would she find him?

"Hey Ginny!"

She looked up and saw Harry for the first time in almost a month, and felt her heart lurch. She threw herself into his arms, kissing him on the cheek and holding him as tightly as she could...!

"_Harry! I've missed you so much!"_

Harry set her down and pulled her tightly to him, and kissed her on the mouth for a long time. When the two finally came up for air, they were both breathing heavily.

"Nice to see you, Ginny." He smiled at her and his eyes, green as potion bottles, twinkled down at her, smiling at his understatement.

"Nice to see you, too."

* * *

They spent the day lounging around in the common room and going for walks around the grounds. As promised, Ginny brought Harry to Hagrid's hut, where he was greeted with a bone-crushing hug that rivaled all others he had received from the large, hairy man.

At dinner, Harry was bombarded by a large crowd of people surrounding he, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna, who all wanted to speak to him. After everyone was neglecting their food and coming over to where he was sitting, Professor McGonagal stood up.

"If everyone will please sit down and give our guest some space, please." She eyed the Great Hall carefully, with a sharp stare. "Now."

Everyone instantly scurried back to their seats.

"I've forgotten how much that woman can do," Harry marveled.

After dinner, he and Ginny went for another walk about the castle, waiting until they only had a few minutes for Ginny to get back into the common room before she could get into trouble for being out after curfew; that way the common room would be more cleared out when they finally got back.

They sat on the velvet red couch cuddled up close together for most of the night, kissing softly and talking about all they had been up to for the past month. Harry was glad to hear that Hogwarts was back to normal, and that Ginny's year had been safe, productive and so far, boring.

"What I wouldn't give to have a normal year at Hogwarts," Harry said, rolling his eyes. It was now late, and the common room was deserted except for them two.

"Well," Ginny said, leaning closer into him and kissing him on the lips, "You could always come back, and take some classes with me..."

Harry smiled at the thought, knowing that it would be something he would love. But...

"Sorry, Gin. Duty calls."

"Not tonight," she said, and he smiled and pulled her to him, feeling her soft body meld against his own... For the next few minutes, Harry remembered why exactly he had to take time off from work.

"Harry," Ginny said, pulling away, her lips red and a gleam in her eye. "Imagine if you were back here... we could sit out here every night like this."

He didn't let himself think about it, or he would regret his decision to work instead of going back to school.

"I'll be back here as soon as I can," he promised. They held each other and kissed a bit more, before Harry heard the clock strike three. It was time for bed, and they regretfully said goodnight (though not before each of them contemplated _not_ saying goodnight at all, and rather spending it in Harry's private room. But neither voiced this, and they both knew they weren't ready for that yet... though they might still want it anyway). They parted ways, but went to bed happy.

_It had been a _very_ good surprise, _thought Ginny.

They spent Sunday much as they had on Saturday, accept maybe a bit more tired from staying up so late the night before. They had risen early so as to spend as much time together as they could. They met each other less than five hours later in the common room, and walked down to breakfast together, hands clasped.

At night on Sunday, Ginny was walking Harry back to McGonagall's office, holding his hand. Right before they reached the last corridor until her doorway, she stopped walking and pulled him towards her, pressing her hands against his lower back and reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately. He responded in kind, tangling his hand in her long hair and pulling her in even closer.

All too soon, though, she broke away. "I know you have to go," she said, looking down sadly. "I'm really going to miss you."

"Me, too, Gin. I won't go this long without seeing you again, I promise. I'll be back- I don't think I _can_ last this long again. I'll crack!"

She smiled, and kissed him one more time, softly and sweetly. "Bye, Harry."

"Bye, Gin. I'll write you soon, okay?"

She nodded, and he turned away, going to floo himself home. He was thirty feet away when she called out. "I love you, Harry!"

He turned around so he was walking backwards, a brilliant smile on his face. He stopped walking, and ran back towards her, taking her in his arms and kissing her, spinning her around, his hands gripping her waist and making her feel like they were the only real things in the world. When he finally set her down, she felt like not only was her body spinning, but her mind as well.

"I love you too, Ginny."

With that, she smiled brightly. She would be okay. She shoved him a little in the direction of McGonagall's office.

"Now get outta here."

He smiled. "See you soon, Gin."

"See you, Harry."


End file.
